Mass Vaccination Centre Open Its Doors for York Residents

A new mass Covid-19 vaccination centre has begun operation at Askham Bar Park & Ride.

(Image: Iwan Stone)

A mass Covid-19 vaccination centre opened at Askham Bar Park & Ride today, one of 10 new centres to come into operation nationwide.

The new site is the first mass vaccination centre in Yorkshire and one of 17 such sites nationwide.

People within 45 minutes of the new centre will have the opportunity to receive a vaccine there.

Those who are unable to, or do not wish to travel to the new site, can wait to be contacted by their local GP-led service or York Hospital.

Currently, those in the top four priority groups, as identified by the JCVI (Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation), can obtain the vaccine, which comes to around 15 million people eligible to receive the first jab.

This includes individuals over 16 who have been identified as extremely clinically vulnerable, meaning students who fall into this category will be able to take advantage of the new centre and increased capacity in York.

The government aims to vaccinate the top four priority groups by mid-February.

The new mass vaccination centres have already received positive feedback from the public.

Pauline Andrews told Sky News: “It’s been a terrible year, we’ve been locked in more than once, but I think I am feeling more positive about the future now.”

The government has reported that more than 4 million jabs have been given to the public so far, with almost 500,000 people receiving their second jab.

76% of those working for York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust have received the vaccine with capacity set to increasing in the coming days.